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Katelyn Vaughn, a junior at Middle Georgia State University, is majoring in Elementary/Special Education with a Reading Endorsement. Her journey into an educational profession began she was a dual-enrolled high school student pursuing a nursing degree. Later, Ms. Vaugh worked in the CVICU and realized that her heart truly lies within the realm of education and kids. She is a paraprofessional at Alexander II STEM Magnet Elementary School in Macon, Georgia. Her goal is to become a professor for the School of Education at Middle Georgia State University specializing in leading the next generation of teachers to greatness. 

Experiences of a Student Teacher: Teaching Mathematics-STEM in an Evolving World

            With an ever-changing world, the education system has not been spared from the clutches of change. When I was a student, a school’s primary focus was all four core subjects: English, Science, Social Studies, and Math. However, in today’s school world the areas of most interest and focus are Science and Math. The future of education will be technologically-based and will lean heavily into the typical STEM stereotype. Growing up with the system of education shifting from academic focus only to whole child plus STEM focus, I have found myself relearning topics and ideas that I was first taught in elementary school or even in secondary education. As a student teacher, I am glad I grew up on the cusp of the evolution of education. That experience gave me the memories of past education that have the “old fashioned” tricks that still work as well as the tools needed to aid in advancing students into professional life.

            My student teaching experience had its ups and downs. It was stressful juggling a full-time career, my personal life as well as full time education. However, the rewards have outweighed all the negatives involved. Students have come to me after learning a complex topic in their STEM Mathematics class with awe in their eyes and pride over their face. When a child has their “aha” moment, it is a win; a win not only for that student, but also for the educator who aided in teaching that student. Again, that is a reward that is not monetary or materialistic. It is an intrinsic reward of the heart.

The majority of those “aha” moments have stemmed from a specific form of education. In traditional education, those moments in math and science were far in between because of the tendency to go in-depth or not deep enough into topics due to time constraints. However, with a STEM curriculum, students get those aha moments in the two key subjects needed most for the future (math and science). As a student-teacher nearing the beginning of the end of her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special Education, I crave those “aha” moments as well as being able to see the progress made by students learning mathematics in a STEM problem-solving process.

            When education shifted from typical mathematics equations to problem-solving strategies, the world of the future changed without educators realizing it, including future educators. I can recall as a student memorizing the facts as well as memorizing the formulas needed for each type of question. However, as a paraprofessional and student teacher, I continue to see repeatedly students using the taught strategies in addition to the strategies that they created. It is mind-blowing watching students use the EDP (Engineering Design Process) in all areas of the school, especially in their mathematics classes where asking, imagining, planning, creating, experimenting, and improving are not as obvious as it is in a science class. While observing my 4th-grade classes during math, I have seen them rewrite the question, think about it for a second, draw out the problem, solve it 2 or more times, and then use the most efficient strategy for the remainder of the equations. That observation of various thought processes while using the EDP has been eye-opening. I wish I had been given those tools as a young student.

            Another example of my experience as a student-teacher in the world of STEM was in a second-grade classroom that I go into for ELA support. During this day, the lead teacher and I decided to move their STEM Science/Math time and their ELA time. This day so happened to be STEM experiment day on erosion. We set up buckets with sand and water to simulate a beach. Then, students had snap cubes as their house. The students had to protect their house using rocks and popsicle sticks just like how we protect our houses with fences, sandbags, rocks, plants, etcetera. Then, they placed their house and protection on the sand, and educators simulated large waves crashing into the shoreline. Students loved it and we were able to connect it to every aspect of education (ELA, Math, History/SS, and Science, Technology, and Engineering). Having that experience along with my observations was life-changing. It showed me how important STEM/STEAM is to the future.

            Overall, my experiences as a student teacher in the world of evolving education have been a roller coaster and eye-opening at the same time. I have enjoyed relearning topics more effectively as well as seeing the more in-depth learning that occurs with STEM approaches. As a soon-to-be teacher in a world of STEM is the primary focus, I plan to use what I have seen and learned to my advantage as well as my student’s advantage. Not only does STEM encourage and enrich the students, but it also inspires those who teach it. 

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